UA Industry Engagement Day, sponsored by the UA Office for Research & Economic Development (ORED) and Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority (TCEDA), is a free event designed to introduce local business owners, community and industry leaders, executives, and government and elected officials to UA faculty and staff to explore opportunities for collaborative research projects and economic development and diversification partnerships.
Enjoy a buffet-style lunch during the economic development leadership forum, moderated by Dan Blakley, associate vice president of the UA Office for Economic and Business Engagement, featuring state and local economic development experts.
Friday, April 19, 2024
Bryant Conference Center
240 Paul W. Bryant Dr.
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
8:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Registration has closed, but walk-ins are welcome. For questions, contact Keslie Fendley at kcfendley@ua.edu.
Agenda
UA researchers and exhibitors will be available from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Sellers Auditorium for questions and networking.
| Time | Speaker | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. | Registration Beverage Service | Lobby |
| 8:45 a.m. | Opening Remarks Dan Blakley, Associate Vice President, Economic & Business Engagement | Sellers Auditorium |
| 9:00 a.m. | Matt Womble Executive Director, Alabama Water Institute | Sellers Auditorium |
| 9:20 a.m. | Mike Oatridge Executive Director, Alabama Mobility and Power Center | Sellers Auditorium |
| 9:40 a.m. | Dr. Ravi Kumar Director, Center for Convergent Bioscience and Medicine | Sellers Auditorium |
| 10:00 a.m. | Dr. Allen Parrish Executive Director, Alabama Cyber Institute | Sellers Auditorium |
| 10:20 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:40 a.m. | WaterTech Accelerator Justice Smyth, Executive Director, Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority Joe Sanchez, Director of Partnerships, Southeast U.S. & LAC, Techstars Dan Blakley, Associate Vice President, Economic & Business Engagement | Sellers Auditorium |
| 11:00 a.m. | Workforce Development Panel | Sellers Auditorium |
| 11:30 a.m. | Lunch Buffet Opens | |
| 12:00 p.m. | Welcome from UA President Dr. Stuart R. Bell Economic Development Leadership Forum | Sellers Auditorium |
| 1:00 p.m. | Exhibitors available for questions and networking | Sellers Auditorium |
| 2:00 p.m. | Event Concludes |
Exhibitors
The following UA researchers and exhibitors will be available from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Sellers Auditorium.
- Alabama Center for Real Estate
- Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute
- Alabama Industrial Assessment Center
- Alabama International Trade Center
- Alabama Life Research Institute
- Alabama Materials Institute
- Alabama Mobility and Power Center
- Alabama Productivity Center
- Alabama SBDC Network
- Alabama Water Institute
- APEX Accelerator of Alabama
- Center for Economic Development
- Corporate & Foundation Relations, Office of Development
- Engineering Career Center and Cooperative Education Program
- Engineering Entrepreneurship Program
- ICUE Connector, College of Arts & Sciences
- Institute for Communications and Information Research
- Institute of Data & Analytics
- Institute for Social Science Research
- Office for Economic & Business Engagement
- Office of Social Work Research
- Polymers and Soft Materials Research Center
- UA Online
- UA SafeState
- Geological Survey of Alabama, Geological Investigations Program
Speakers
Economic Development Leadership Forum
Dr. Bryan W. Boudouris
Vice President, Office for Research & Economic DevelopmentBill Poole
Finance Director, State of AlabamaGreg Barker
President, Economic Development Partnership of AlabamaJustice Smyth
Executive Director, Tuscaloosa County Economic Development AuthorityBlair King
Director of Business Development, Alabama Power CompanyEllen McNair
Secretary of Commerce, Alabama Department of CommerceDonny Jones
Executive Vice President and Chief Workforce Officer, Chamber of Commerce of West AlabamaGordon Martin
Director, James C. Kennemer Center for Innovation and Social ImpactDr. Yolanda Page
President, Stillman CollegeDan Blakley
Associate Vice President, Economic and Business EngagementDr. Chris Cox
Vice Chancellor of Instruction, Research and Development, Alabama Community College SystemPresenters
Matt Womble
Executive Director, Alabama Water InstituteMike Oatridge
Executive Director, Alabama Mobility and Power CenterDr. M. N. V. Ravi Kumar
Director, Center for Convergent Bioscience & MedicineDr. Allen Parrish
Executive Director, Alabama Cyber InstituteJustice Smyth
Executive Director, Tuscaloosa County Economic Development AuthorityDan Blakley
Associate Vice President, Economic and Business EngagementJoe Sanchez
Director of Partnerships, Southeast U.S. & LAC, TechstarsVenue & Parking
Venue
Industry Engagement Day will be held in the Bryant Conference Center on the University of Alabama campus.
Parking
Visitor parking is available in the Capstone Parking Deck, located at 921 2nd Ave., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401.
You will receive a parking pass via email prior to the event. You will need to check in and check out of the parking deck using the four-digit keypad code (including # sign) on the event parking pass.
If you already have a UA Faculty/Staff Permit, Patron Pass, or Southeast Commuter Permit, you will not need a code to get into the parking deck. Please drive up to the gate, and your permit will automatically be read by the card reader.